Biafra: Soldiers assault newspapers sales reps, arrest 2 vendors in Aba

ABA-Soldiers of the Forward Operation Base, FOB, stationed
 at Ngwa road, Aba, Abia State, has assaulted the Aba sales
representatives of Thisday, Punch and Authority Newspapers
and arrested two newspaper vendors including a 64 year old
woman, Jacima, over alleged sale of pro Biafra newspapers.

Trouble started for the victims when the soldiers in two
 hilux vans stormed a newspaper distribution centre at St. Michael’s road, Aba, in a commando-style and ordered vendors including those who came to buy newspapers
 and magazines to sit on the floor and identify themselves.

Vanguard gathered that when the Thisday sales rep, Mr.

Simeon Obi identified himself, the soldiers demanded for 
his official identity card but his explanation that the card 
was in his office upstairs infuriated the soldiers who 
bundled him into one of the waiting hilux vans.

Also it was reported that soldiers allegedly assaulted the
 sales rep of the Authority newspapers, Mrs. Chinyere Ibe
 who was giving newspapers to vendors when the soldiers arrived and asked her to identify herself.

An eyewitness said, “Immediately the woman said “I’m 
with the Authority Newspapers”, one of the soldiers gave
 her  severe slaps and said, “You say you be authority, who 
gave you that authority, who made you the authority of this town? If I hear you be authority again, I will deal with you.”

The Punch, Thisday and Authority sales reps including the
 two vendors were later taken to the army base at Ngwa
 High school.

The Army Captain in charge of the base was reported to
 have released the newspaper sales reps. As at the time
 of filing this report, the two vendors including the 64 year
 old woman, Jacima who was said to have been discharged
 from the hospital a day before her arrest, are still being held by the Army.

When contacted, Commanding Officer, 144 Battalion, 
Asa, Abia State, Lt. Col. Ksssim Umar Sidi, who denied that 
the suspects were assaulted added that they have been handed over to the Department of State Services, DSS.